Alko and Buying Alcohol in Finland
How the split works
Two shelves, two systems. Anything up to roughly eight per cent, which covers most beer, cider and the pre-mixed long drink Finns call lonkero, sits in the supermarket and stops selling at nine in the evening. Everything above that, meaning wine and spirits, is only in Alko. Alko is a proper shop with staff who know the stock, but it works on shop hours, shuts early on Saturday and stays shut on Sunday.
The practical consequence is a Saturday afternoon deadline. Plan a Sunday evening around wine you have not yet bought and you will be drinking beer instead.
On a food tour
Read the inclusions rather than assuming. Alcohol is not included on the city walk and not included on the rooftop walk either, though that one does end with a drink and a view above the roofline. The island tasting does not permit alcohol at all. The neighbourhood walk includes drinks with its eight-plus tastings, and the cooking class opens with a welcome drink.
The drinks page lays out which tour includes what, in detail, so you are not working it out at the counter.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I buy wine in Helsinki?
In Alko, the state monopoly. Supermarkets stop at roughly eight per cent ABV, which covers beer, cider and long drinks but not wine or spirits. Alko closes early on Saturday and all day Sunday, so buy ahead. The drinks page covers what tours pour.
Can I buy beer in a Finnish supermarket?
Yes, up to about eight per cent ABV, until nine in the evening. That covers most beer, cider and the ready-mixed long drink. Anything stronger means a trip to Alko during shop hours. The dinner time page explains how early the Finnish evening runs.
Do Helsinki food tours include alcohol?
Some do and some do not, and two exclude it outright. The rooftop walk ends with a drink but does not include alcoholic ones; the island tasting does not allow alcohol. The rooftop page states what is and is not in the price you see when you check dates.